Acne: Facts and Tips

Acne is a pesky skin condition that many suffer from – especially in their adolescence. In fact, around 80 percent of people between the age of 11 and 30 have had the disease at some point. While acne outbreaks tend to disappear with age, some people still experience them later in life.

Acne: What is it?

The disease affects the skin’s oil glands that produce an oily substance called sebum. When hair, skin cells, and sebum stick together and block the pore connected to the oil gland, the area swells due to the bacteria in the blockage. When the blockage breaks down, a pimple forms.

There are different types of pimples including:

Papules – tender pink-colored bumps

Whiteheads – pimples that stay under the skin’s surface

Blackheads – black bumps

Nodules – large and painful pimples deep in the skin

Pustules – bumps that have a red bottom and pus on the top

Cysts – deep pimples that contain pus and my result in scarring

Acne: Causes

While the cause of acne is unknown, there are several factors that may influence outbreaks: